Loss

I still read my hometown newspaper as part of my morning routine---take the dogs out, wake Sunshine, fix our breakfasts, pour my Diet Coke & sit down to check email/news.


This morning I was greeted by very sad news when checking the obituary section of hometown paper.  My US History teacher from high school died.  The news spread fast on Facebook where friends shared the link.  My hometown's "You Know You're From . . ." page was flooded with posts about his passing.  People shared stories of how he impacted their lives.  He was a teacher & coach to many of them in high school.  As adults, he was a friend, someone who frequented their businesses, a neighbor.  


My father knew him growing up & they both shared a love of baseball.  My father played varsity ball while Mr. B was in junior high & he looked up to my Daddy.  When I was in high school they'd rib each other about the old days.  


When I was in his class I was a good student---honor roll, gifted program, varsity athlete, activities queen.  If I liked your class, you had my undivided attention.  And I loved Mr. B's class.  I wasn't terribly interested in History but in his class I was.  My love of History, which I still have today, was born in that class.  My interest in politics would come a year later when he taught our "Government" class.  


Teachers, be they good, bad or mediocre, leave such an impression on their students.  They inspire.  They instruct.  They change lives.


So tonight, as I sit here crying (as I have done off & on throughout the day), I'm grateful for a man who not only touched my life, but the lives of hundreds, probably thousands of kids from my hometown.   There's a line in "It's A Wonderful Life" that goes  Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?    


I'm grateful that Mr. B was in my life for a brief period of time.